Spirited Away
by iPanda16
Summary: Ryou and his family plan to move to a new town but when they take a small detour they get trapped in the spirit world and only Ryou and a few spirits can help them come back home! A crossover of Spirited Away and Yugioh. Some tendershipping
1. Moving On But To Where?

_**iPanda16: I did it! I finally did it! I posted my Spirited Away/Yugioh crossover fanfic that I worked on for maybe two years now! I've been advertising this mother on Deviantart too and I got wamee12 to draw a cover for it so feel free to check it out on my DA account**_

_**Echo Song Smith: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ,**_

"I'll miss you, Ryou. Best of luck, Jin." Ryou read aloud from the goodbye card he received from his friend a day before the move. In his lap lay a book that Ryou had been dying to read but now that he had it he wished that it was back in the store instead.

Ryou sat in the passenger seat of the car while his mom drove and his thirteen year old sister Amane sat in the back with most of the luggage. Their mother had warned them about the move to another town but they had told about this for so many times that Ryou became skeptical of it and was completely taken aback when their mother announced that they really _would_ move. Ryou didn't want to move to another town. He'd totally be going to another school and would be leaving his friends and everyone he knew behind and start anew in a different school. Amane wasn't looking forward to it at first but over time she became giddy about moving to a knew place. That's typical of her. She's always been so optimistic while Ryou tried to be realistic. Some things that are said to be good are usually a curse. And in this case this move was a curse to him

"Ryou, honey, aren't you gonna read that book Jin got you?" His mother asked while looking at the road. Ryou looked out through his window.

"There's really no point in it. The book I've been desiring all this time is a goodbye present. It's depressing." Ryou commented. His mother glanced over sympathetically but Ryou didn't want to make eye contact. He was too upset to even look at his own mother.

"Hey, mom, isn't that the school Onni-chan will be going too?" Amane asked pointing through the window at the high school they were driving by.

"Ah, yes. Hey, Ryou, it looks like a pretty good school, right?" His mother asked. Ryou hummed a little in disagreement and moved his focus from the school to the road.

"Where's the school that Amane will be going too?" Ryou asked keeping his focus on the road as his mom had to stop at a red light.

"I believe it's just a few streets away from your school, Ryou." His mother said looking at her son, happy that he's talking about something less pessimistic only to frown sadly that he still didn't look at her.

"Oh, that's so cool! Me and Onni-chan are practically going to the same school!" Amane squealed cheerfully. Ryou would normally smile at this but chose to be quiet instead. He's not normally like this with his sister but moving really did get the best of him. Of course anyone would be upset about moving away so Ryou thought it was no different that he was a little grumpy right now. His mother made a turn from the highway down a slightly bumpy road in hopes of getting to the house sooner but was met with some disappointment.

"Huh? Did I miss the turn off?" His mother pondered.

"Hey, mommy! I can see our house from here!" Amane said rolling down her window and pointing out up the hill to a row of houses on top of it. "It's the blue one right?" Amane asked.

"Why, yes it is, Amane. Thank you for noticing. Hey, maybe I'm not on the wrong road after all?" His mother asked slightly cheerful now. In a way Ryou was glad to finally see that from here the house didn't look bad in person. The internet made the house look really appropriate for a suburban neighborhood and added a few details explaining how "perfect" it is. Ryou knew some of it probably wasn't true but the house was pretty cheap at the same time so his mother went and bought it.

Ryou took one last look at the house before his mother continued on the bumpy road. It's like people forgot to put asphalt here. And the strange part is, is that it seemed the road got bumpier with each meter they passed and further closing in on the new home they'd be staying in. Ryou hated it when they drove on bumpy roads. It made him slightly car sick and scared that they might blow a tire even though it never happened before. But there's a first for everything of course. Finally after driving for what felt like an hour they finally drive into a clearing and his mother stops at a building. The building looked as old as the environment around it as the paint on it as chipping off and it appeared to have cracks up the walls.

"What is this, mommy?," Amane asked. "This isn't on the map is it?" Ryou's mom picked up the printed out map equally confused and looking it over.

"It shouldn't be. I may have made a wrong turn after all." She said aloud. Ryou slumped in his seat. Wow, could this get any better? Ryou sat up hearing the clicking sound of the door opening.

"Amane, where are you going?" Ryou asked.

"I want to check it out while we're here. Come on!" Amane said running up to the entrance of the building and waving for them to follow her.

"Amane, get back in the car, okay sweetie?" Their mother called out but Ryou stepped out of the car as well and catching up with his sister. "Wait, Ryou, where are you going?" His mother called out also stepping out of the car.

"It wouldn't hurt for a little detour would it?" He asked smiling. Truthfully he just wanted to stay away from their new home as long as possible but that front seemed to go unnoticed as Amane cheered happily and tightly hugging him.

"Oh, all right, you two." Their mother smiled stepping out of the car finally, unlocking the car as soon as she stepped out. Who would steal their car in the middle of no where?

"We'll just take a quick look around and go back to the car okay?" His mother said catching up with her children. They both nodded in agreement and stepped into the deserted building.

The interior of the building didn't look half as bad as the outside. Just a lot of dead leaves and some dirt piled around. It looked like this place wasn't supposed to be a building at all. More like a tunnel of some sort as the only furniture was a few concrete benches and even a bird bath lying around. They stopped in the middle of the tunnel to take a full look around the place.

"This isn't a normal building is it, mommy?" Amane asked.

"No, I don't think so…" Their mother replied almost quietly like she was thinking and speaking at the same time. Ryou knew in his heart that they all were thinking the same thing: _What is this place and where does it lead?_ As if on cue they saw the exit from the tunnel.

"Hey, I can see the exit! Let's go!" Amane said running to the outside of the building. And just like that both Ryou and their mother ran after the cheerful girl and came to the other side of the tunnel and looked around them astonished to see a nothing other than a grassy field with a few deserted buildings and old statues that over time have developed moss over them.

"This isn't right. There's nothing here." Their mother said.

"Wait I think I here something." Ryou said narrowing his eyes in focus trying to decipher the sound.

"Hey, I here it too!" Amane said, "It sounds like… A train! Maybe there's a train that runs through here." Amane said.

"But there's nothing here. There shouldn't be a train here at all." Ryou told Amane. He loves his sister but sometimes she can be childish when jumping to conclusions.

"Ryou, just because there's nothing here doesn't mean that there isn't a train around here." Their mother corrected him.

"Hey, who wants to find the train?" Amane asked already running off without receiving an answer from either of them. Ryou didn't want to stay here any longer and wanted to get back to the car as soon as possible. For some reason he had a bad feeling about this place and wanted to leave the seemingly deserted area.

"Come on, Ryou. It should be fun." His mother said running off to catch up with her daughter. Ryou stood at the exit not moving from the spot. He just wanted to leave.

"Hey, you said we should make a quick look around. Come on, lets get back to the car, please!" Ryou pleaded for his family to come back. They probably didn't hear him as they continued walking further and further away from him. Ryou sighed and for a moment thought of going back to the car without them so they could have their fun but a strong wind blew in through the tunnel pushing him away from the building. Ryou looked back at the building one last time until the wind became too strong and he quickly made his way to his family. The scary part was is that it sounded like the building was saying_ "GO!"._

"Hey, wait up!" Ryou called out trying to catch up to them. They stopped at a dried up river bed where rocks were jutted out of the ground and a little bit of water was trickling between the stones. Ryou quickly caught up to his family and bent over with his hands on his knees panting heavily.

"I knew you'd follow us here, Onni-chan." Amane said smiling coyly.

"It's just… there was a strong wind… back at the tunnel…" Ryou explained still panting heavily.

"Onni-chan, you're so out of shape. You need to participate more in P.E." Amane teased. Ryou stood up straight finally breathing normally now. Ryou wasn't one to enjoy P.E. especially since his old P.E. teacher Karita-sensei picked on him a lot in class. If it weren't for his friends Ryou would've been depressed during school.

"I'm sorry. Hey can we please go home now. I don't like it here." Ryou begged one more time hoping that they can actually finally go home despite what he thought the building said. Ryou didn't care that he was going to his knew home he just didn't want to continue their journey into no where.

"Ryou, it wouldn't hurt to explore a little. Consider it as a quick detour before going home, okay?" Their mother explained with a hopeful smile upon her face. Ryou sighed giving up. His family can be stubborn sometimes.

"Alright, but I still don't like it here." Ryou murmured. His mother frowned immediately but Amane grabbed her brothers hand dragged him along on the stranded boulders in the dried up river.

"Come on, we'll just check this place out for a few minutes and come back to the car okay? It shouldn't be that big of a deal right?" Amane asked with a smile on her ever cheerful expression. Ryou smiled back too. Despite this "uh-oh" feeling he's getting about further exploring this completely unpopulated place he supposed it wouldn't be too bad to take a quick look around the village up past the river bed would it?

Ryou and Amane bounced along the boulders almost in a race to the finish line. Since they were kids Ryou and Amane always made it a race when they ran across the dried up river trying not to slip and fall on the rocks. It's funny because their mother commented that its like they were deer sprinting on the ground. Amane made it to the other side first and then Ryou came to the end of the river, and their mother walked carefully to the other side catching up with her kids.

"Yay, I won!" Amane laughed bouncing on the ground. Ryou panted and looked around. _Look how far away we are from the car… If we continue this hike it'll be night time by the time we get back… _Ryou thought.

"Are you alright, Ryou? I have some water if you're thirsty?" His mother offered pulling a water bottle out of her purse. Ryou shook his head and waved the offered water bottle away

"I'm fine. Hey do you smell something?" Ryou asked sniffing the air. Amane stuck her nose out at the sky and pretended to sniff the air mockingly at her brother but eventually she did catch wind of what Ryou was referring too.

"Hey, I smell it too. It smells like food!" Amane said cheerfully. And just like that she went running up the stairs that were placed on the hill.

"Amane, slow down!" Their mother called out running up the stairs not wanting to lose sight of her daughter. Ryou ran up too wanting to catch up to his sister again. He could admit that his sister can be impulsive but he's glad that she's still like that after all this time. And for a moment Ryou was able to forget about his "uh-oh" feeling, or nervousness. They were finally able to catch up to Amane when she started to slow down pinpointing where the food could possibly be. Finally she stopped at a turn and waved for her mother and brother to hurry up.

"I found the food! This way!" Amane said running off again. This time Ryou and his mother were able to catch up to her to see her standing in front of a buffet of food set up on a counter of a small restaurant. There were a row of table stools in front of the counter. Ryou and Amane have been to restaurants like this before only on festivities. Seeing restaurants like this everywhere with so many food Ryou supposed that there was a festival going on even though it wasn't even the right day for any particular holiday

"Wow, look at all the food, Ryou. You want to eat?" His mother said going to fix herself a plate.

"But, mother there's no one here. We would get in trouble if we were to eat here without paying first." Ryou explained.

"It'd be okay, Onni-chan. We'll pay them back once the employees get back." Amane said sitting herself up and filling her plate with the mysterious food. The stuff smelled good but they didn't look like the normal food you'd have back home. And something wasn't right about the food placed before them at all.

"Guys, I don't think we should eat that. We'd get in trouble if we did!" Ryou pleaded. But they didn't listen to him. In a way they merely listened to their stomachs. Ryou was hungry but he also didn't want to get in trouble with the staff for stealing their food.

"Ryou honey, it'd be fine. We'll pay them back once they get back from whatever they're doing. It shouldn't be a problem. Here I fixed you a plate too, come eat." His mother offered but Ryou shook his head. Something was telling him to stay away from the food. Sure he was a little hungry and the food did smell good, but the food was so strange looking and the fact that there was no on around in the entire town meant something bad to him. He felt something hard fall into the pit of his stomach as his mother and sister gorged themselves on the food. He tried pleading with them to get away from the food, but they weren't even listening to him. He was no longer a part of their world at the moment.

Ryou gave up and decided to give a look around the town, and wandered away from his mother and sister. Truthfully he wanted to find a clue as to why there could be food and yet no people inside the town. He turned to his right once he left the alley and saw a row of stairs that led up to a small tower with the kanji for oil on it. Ryou looked at the tower before turning his head to another direction and saw giant bathhouse on the other side of a bridge. _This just gets stranger and stranger…_ Ryou thought to himself as he made he way up to the bridge to get a closer look at the bathhouse. Upon closer inspection he noticed that water was flowing through the pools on the other side of the walls and that smoke was coming out of the chimney. _Why would they have a working bathhouse in a abandoned town?_ Ryou thought. He stood in the center of the bridge before going to the ledge to see what could be below him. The distance from the bridge to the ground could be at least 200 meters. It was so far away that Ryou couldn't almost see the bottom before he saw something zip under his eyes.

"There's the train!" Ryou said. For a moment he thought of going to his mother and sister to show them the train but he didn't want to trouble them as the train would've already disappeared once they got back to the stairs. So Ryou decided against it and went to the other side of the bridge to catch sight of it one more time before the train disappeared completely.

Ryou leaned over the railing looking at the train until he felt that he wasn't alone and looking over to his right he knew he was when he saw another boy standing right there. Upon closer inspection he looked a little like Ryou but his expression was different than Ryou's normal expression and he was wearing a type of kimono that Ryou would normally wear on festival days. His eyes were narrowed as if he was examining him and a look of total shock came over the other boy and he instantly glared at him.

"You shouldn't be here! Get out, **now!**" He ordered moving closer to Ryou.

"What are you talking about…?" Ryou asked quietly moving away from the railing. The tone this boy was using made Ryou a little frightened of him.

"You have to leave before dark! Get out!" He barked loudly pointing to behind Ryou as if he would obey him and run off, but Ryou didn't know what he was talking about. Sure he didn't feel safe about coming to this place from the beginning but Ryou didn't see what the other boy's problem was about him or this place. Behind the boy the bathhouse started lighting the lamps as if signaling that nighttime was coming soon.

"They're lighting the lamps. Quick get out of here, I'll distract them!" The boy said pushing Ryou away off the bridge and Ryou this time obeyed him and started running down the stairs while the other boy turned around to face whoever was there. Ryou looked over his shoulder one more time at the boy.

"What's going on here…?" Ryou asked mostly to himself before running to meet up with his family. Ryou ran down away from the bridge and closer to his family hardly noticing how dark it was getting and all the lights that were lighting up and all the shadows inside the buildings with glowing yellow eyes. Ryou just wanted to get out of here. For once he felt like he had proof that something wasn't right about this place and that they shouldn't have come here after all. He immediately rushed over to where his mother was sitting and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Mother, we have to get out of here! There's something wrong with this place!" Ryou exclaimed mostly in fear. He was indeed scared of this place. Scared of the shadows that lurked inside the buildings and the white haired boy that shooed him away. And the nervous feeling he had before came back overwhelming his body, almost making him tremble with fear.

His mother didn't respond to him, so he shook her shoulder trying to get her attention, but what saw made him both shocked and horrified at the same time. A giant pig wearing his mother's clothes turned around to look at him before going back to the food but was slapped away by a shadow holding what looked like a spatula making the pig fall to the ground. Ryou looked to where his sister was sitting before to only see a slightly smaller pig wearing Amane's clothes. And without another thought Ryou ran for it calling out to his family desperately. But neither of them came and more shadows started moving around him making him even more terrified. He thought about going back to the car hoping that his family went back to the car without him and that it was some sort of sick prank that those pigs were dressed just like his mother and sister. He ran as fast as he could desperately trying to escape this unbelievable town and even went to where the first set of stairs were until he accidentally ran straight into a river.

"Water? When did this river form?" Ryou shouted trying to get out of the water and crawling back onto dry land. Half of his body and clothes were soaking wet now and his body began to tremble again, from both fear and the cold as his wet body became exposed to the chilly night.

Their were lights on the boats that were moving across the river and Ryou again wondered why there would be so much life in a town that was deserted only hours ago? And a thought came to him. He was dreaming. It was just a bad dream where he was stuck in one place and didn't know his way back. And all those shadows, the pigs, the lights, and that boy are all apart of his subconscious. He was just having a terrible nightmare. Ryou pinched himself in the arm hoping he would snap out of it but no such luck. Feeling hopeless Ryou crumpled to the ground crouched down in a ball fighting back his tears.

"It's just a dream, Ryou. Just a dream. You'll wake up back in the car in a few minutes. Everything's just a terrible nightmare." Ryou repeated this over to himself hoping that they would all come true. Strangely, Ryou felt his body getting lighter, like it was fading and Ryou moved to look at his hands only to see to his horror what was going on to his body. He _was_ disappearing! He rubbed his hands together hoping he could still touch things. He could but it still didn't help that his body was slowly fading away. He started rubbing his arms to keep his body warm and to remind himself that he's not disappearing. Although it didn't help that he could see through his arms.

Ryou looked up to see one of the boats pull up to the stairs. The doors on the boat opened and paper figures exited off the boat and once they left cloaked figures formed from the floating paper and climbed up the stairs. Ryou looked on in shock. _This isn't real_, Ryou thought. _There's no way this could ever be real!_ He looked to the river when he heard some slight splashing and saw that the shadow figures were coming out of the water. They were _everywhere!_ Without another thought Ryou ran away from the river. He didn't know where he was going as long as he was away from the shadows. Even if he was to be stuck in this town forever anywhere could be safer than being with these beings!

_**Disclaimer- Yugioh and Spirited away do not belong to us**_


	2. A Place To Go To

_**Note: iPanda again. I felt that I should be obligated to post whenever I get the chance to every time I got to a place with internet so, here I am. It's going to happen maybe once or twice a week, so I hope you'll be patient and reading this. I know this story isn't going off to a good start but I hope that with your support and constructive critism that I can be a better writer one day.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or Spirited Away. **_

Ryou hid himself in a corner next to a building he found next to the river. He didn't want to be near the town even though he knew it wasn't a choice in the matter. He figured that if he was somewhat close to the river and the spirits disappeared he would find a way home. But what about his family? He can't leave them. He had to find them. But where is he going to find them? How is he going to find his way home? Where would he go? Depression wrapped it's cold arms around Ryou's trembling frame as the feeling of helplessness and then hopelessness washed over his senses. He gave up on his plan to do anything. His body was fading away anyway. What would he do if he were to turn into a ghost while trying to find his family and get back home. There was nothing in his power that he could do. He was weak. Emotionally _and_ mentally. Crouching down on his knees and burying his face into the cavity between his knees he cried. He tried to hold it back before but the tears came streaming down his eyes. He forced himself to not make a sound and hiccupped only a few times while his tears burned at his cheeks. This was it. Everything came crashing down and it was now over for him. He'll never see his mother. He'll never see his sister. He'll never live ever again. It was all _over._

Kura searched everywhere. The boys scent wasn't hard to pick up seeing that he is a human among spirits. He knew that everyone in town had discovered about him. If it weren't for his scent it would be his crying or screaming that would make him stand out. It annoyed Kura that human's would typically panic upon seeing spirits but Ryou was an exception. It wasn't that it was his first time visiting the spirit world but it was that Kura new him. It was a long time ago and Ryou was just a child but Kura still had a memory of Ryou. He couldn't quite place how though. He remembers his name and his face but that was pretty much it. All other memories have been stored away in the back of his mind completely inaccessible to Kura.

Kura ran around a corner catching wind of the boys scent once again. Ryou certainly has been all over the place. Kura had to pause himself from following the same trail as Ryou lest he draws attention from the others. So he stood on a hill next to the river and closed his eyes. This was the spot Ryou was at last. Kura was down wind of Ryou's current trail unfortunately so he ran back into town intent on finding him. Quiet sobbing is what helped Kura find his way to Ryou. He stopped halfway in town next to an alley and listened carefully to Ryou's cries. He was _close._ He finally found him.

He ran down the alley and followed the sound until he finally found Ryou crouching next a building crying. The boy was clearly fading from this world and Kura had to act fast. He ran up to the boy and crouched down beside him. Kura gently place his arms around Ryou placing one arm on his shoulder and the other around Ryou's leg in a kind of comforting embrace. Kura normally would never let himself do this but the boy and him were connected, he knew. But it was just an instinctual feeling that Kura knew of Ryou. He hardly remembers anything from his past and try as he might he could never remember his name or where he was previously before meeting Kaiba. Nor does he think he could ever remember of anything. Ryou jumped sensing Kura's presence and looking up at him with complete horror written upon his face.

"Don't be afraid. I only want to help." Kura explained. Again he uses the kinder touch despite his natural instinct. Normally he would have watched the boy sob until he got bored and left but Kura couldn't do that to Ryou. As much as it pained him he had to drop his spiteful nature and help Ryou again. _Again? Did I ever help him? How come all I remember is his name and face?_ Kura thought to himself. He was still holding the boy when Ryou tried to pull himself away from him with a pleading look in his eyes begging to be left alone. Unfortunately, for Ryou that's not about to happen.

"No… No!" Ryou begged. Fear had taken a hold on him and Kura could tell Ryou won't be able to make much words in this situation. Kura searched his pocket and pulled out a red pill and holding it out in front of the boy.

"Eat it. You must eat something in this world or else you disappear forever." Kura explained holding the pill a little closer to Ryou's face. Ryou tried to pull away from him but Kura only drew his hand closer to his mouth. In a attempt at getting Kura away from him Ryou pushed his arms out in his face trying to push him away but to the boys shock Ryou's arms only passed through Kura's face not even touching him. Ryou turned his head back around to see his arm floating through the white haired boys face.

"Here, eat the pill. Don't worry. You won't turn into a pig." Kura said softly pushing the pill into Ryou's mouth. The task was much easier as Kura didn't have to fight through Ryou just to get him to take the pill. "That's good. Now chew it." Kura instructed. As told Ryou chewed on the pill. He didn't seem to have any trouble eating it making this much easier for Kura. "Now swallow it." Kura instructed finally. Ryou looked at him suspiciously before closing his eyes and forcing the pill down his throat.

"There, isn't that better? You should be getting your physical form back now, see?" Kura said holding up a hand up to Ryou. He looked at him warily before holding up his hand and lightly touching his skin finally able to feel again.

"I'm… okay…" He said quietly hardly believing this was happening. Kura suspected that Ryou wasn't prepared to get any outside help in his situation. He probably already gave up by the time he showed himself again. Kura took Ryou's hand in both of his hands and held it.

"See? Everything will be okay." Kura explained smiling reassuringly down at the boy who still wasn't sure of what's going on. Kura looked up at the sky hoping he wasn't being watched by one of Kaiba's lookout dragon's. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw a black dragon soaring through the dark sky. Kura pressed his body against Ryou hiding him from the dragon. "Don't move" Kura whispered while watching the dragon carefully. He felt Ryou's face tilt up to see what he was looking at and he gasped catching sight of the dragon and buried his face into Kura's shirt. Kura forced himself not to look down at Ryou in surprise and kept his eyes glued on the black dragon until it turned around going in another direction. Kura didn't let go of Ryou until he knew the dragon wouldn't come back and when he was sure the creature disappeared Kura finally pulled away from Ryou though he did cling onto his shirt a little longer almost falling when Kura moved away.

"They know you're here. We have to move quickly or-" Kura held onto Ryou's hand about to pull him up when Ryou grabbed Kura's arm with his free hand and that pleading look was placed back on his face again.

"Wait, what about my family? They… didn't really turn into pigs did they…?" Ryou asked trying to search an answer on Kura's face. Kura didn't want to give away anything to Ryou now otherwise he's panic again.

"You can't see them now but soon you will. Now let's go." Kura said pulling Ryou up, though with some difficulty this time. Sitting there like that while fading had caused Ryou's legs to be paralyzed.

"Wait! I can't get up! What am I going to do?" Ryou looked back up at Kura pleadingly. It was clear that Kura was going to be standing beside Ryou helping him out the entire time. He was so helpless right now. It annoyed Kura a little but he hid it from his expression and knelt back down to his knees.

"Calm down and take a deep breath." Kura instructed. Ryou did as he was told and Kura held his hand over Ryou's thigh.

"By the name of the wind and water within me, unbind him." Kura commanded his hand glowing from the unbinding spell. Kura quickly pulled Ryou up to his feet. "Get up. Let's move." Kura said running off with Ryou barely catching up to him. If it weren't for the fact that Kura was still holding Ryou's hand he was sure the boy would have been left behind. Kura ran quickly intending to come to the only place he knew would possibly help Ryou. He had to take him back to the bathhouse. Despite the fact that Kaiba owned the place and is _very_ strict about having anyone or even a human work for him Kura had to work out a way that Ryou could find shelter and help him save his family. Maybe Ryou could hide in the boiler room with Sugoraku. It didn't matter just as long as Ryou was away from Kaiba everything would be okay.

Kura ran through many buildings making quick shortcuts a food cellar and even a pig pen. He felt Ryou slow down on his hand and knew that the boy wanted to stay a little longer to see if he could _possibly_ find his mother and sister here. _Sorry, Ryou. But we must keep moving. We don't have time to slow down. But I'll make it up to you later, I promise._ Kura vowed quietly. Leaving the pig pen without a second glance Kura pulled Ryou straight to a path behind a building just next door to Kaiba's bathhouse. Kura opened the small gate continuing his way to the bathhouse.

"We're almost there. Now here's one more thing you have to do for me. When we cross the bridge you must hold your breath as long as you could. The slightest gasp would break the spell and everyone would see you, got it?" Kura explained to Ryou. The boy nodded quietly and obeyed him. Kura made a move towards the bridge and Ryou latched himself onto his arm. Kura looked down slightly stunned at the sudden movement. Ryou hardly seemed clingy before.

"I'm scared…" Ryou said looking up into his face. _Ah, that explains it._ Kura moved his hand and gently brushed a little hair out of his face.

"Don't worry. Just do as I say and stay close, got it?" It wasn't much of a question. Surely the boy knew by now that he needed Kura if he wanted to survive here. Ryou nodded at the statement. With that Kura moved forward to the bridge. There was a group of spirits that Kura recognized as lowly employees that worked for Kaiba. Both of the were greeting would be customers as they made there way to the bridge. Kura was getting so close to the bridge now. He wanted to keep going but had to seem like everything was normal and needed to pretend that a frightful teenager wasn't latched onto his arm shaking from fear. This part was _crucial. _

"I'm back from my mission." Kura announced passing the spirits without another look.

"Welcome back, Kura-sama!" One said but Kura ignored him like he normally did to the others. This was the moment where Kura could actually act like himself and no one suspected a thing. It was brilliant! He was now less than a few meters from the bridge now.

"Take a deep breath." Kura whispered. Ryou inhaled deeply through his nose. "Hold it." Kura whispered one more time. Ryou held a hand over his nose easily holding his breath but also preventing him from breathing. He had to make this quick. Ryou stepped onto the bridge at the same time as Kura keeping up with the same pace as him. Kura has been told before that he walked a little more quickly then normal. It seems that this might finally pay off for Kura after all.

He continued walking past all the spirits that crossed the bridge. Some of them were leaving the bathhouse while some were coming to it. Kura looked at the corner of his eye to see Ryou straining to hold his breath a little longer. And at the same time Kura saw the a cloaked and masked spirit. Kura looked closely at him._ That's the schizophrenic spirit Malik. What's he doing here? He's not allowed to be near the bathhouse._ Kura thought to himself squinting his eyes at the spirit in a glare. Malik looked back through his mask but didn't move. If lucky the spirit wouldn't make a move to the bathhouse at all but Kura doubted it.

"Mmm!" Ryou moaned a complaint. He wasn't going to be able to hold his breath much longer unless Kura finally crossed the bridge.

"Hold on, we're almost there." Kura whispered speeding his pace just a little bit hoping that it would help Ryou even a little bit.

They were so close. Just a little longer. Just a few more seconds and they'll finally cross the bridge and Kura's plan at hiding Ryou from Kaiba will be a success!_ Just a few more steps… almost there…_

"Hey, Kura-sama! Where have you been?" _Damn!_ It just had to be one of those moments where Yugi would actually come and greet Kura at the_ wrong_ time as always. Ryou couldn't hold it in much longer and gasped for air but quickly covered his nose in hopes the spirit wouldn't see him. _Sorry, Ryou. But it's not that easy._

"A human?" Yugi questioned. Kura held out his hand putting Yugi under a freezing spell quickly stopping Yugi from making any movement to tell anyone in the area. At least it helped a little despite that now everyone could see Ryou now. Kura had to move quickly. He dashed to the other side of the bridge and quickly under a gate that led to the back of the bathhouse. It wasn't the main entrance but that was okay because Kura had to hide Ryou form everyone again and form a knew plan now. _Why can't things just be easier?_

_**I had fun writing this because it was at my favorite part at the beginning of the movie where Chihiro is like "WTF!" you'll soon find out as you read along who the characters are being played as. and do check out the cover story that I got Wamee12 to do for me art/Spirited-Away-Crossover-251021264**_


	3. The People You Meet

_**Finally at the part I've been meaning to write. I have to say that there was a lot of activity in this chapter so it took me awhile to get this chapter done. Plus I did a whole lot of editing before posting so I hop it's all good**_

_**Don't own Yugioh or spirited away folks!**_

Ryou and Kura as he recalled was called hid behind a few bushes in the garden of the bathhouse. Everyone in the bathhouse meanwhile were running everywhere looking for Kura. _They must hold high respect for him if they all call him "Kura-sama". Just who is he anyway? He's been a big help to me despite bringing me back here but whatever he has planned for me I have to trust him. _Ryou thought.

"They know you're here." Kura said looking over the bushes just enough to see what's going on but not enough to expose us.

"I'm sorry I couldn't hold it in much longer, it's all my fault…" Ryou said looking down at the ground sadly. He felt a slight tug on his shoulders and looked up to see Kura looking at the smaller boy comfortingly.

"No, Ryou. You did good." Kura said moving his face closer to Ryou's. The boy blushed wanting to pull away but couldn't. _He could be the one person that can help me save my family from whatever is going. _Before Ryou knew it Kura was talking again.

"Listen carefully, Ryou. You can't stay here, unless you want to be found and then you won't be able to rescue your family. I'll distract them long enough for you to escape-"

"No! Don't leave me, please! I don't want to be alone." Ryou begged grabbing onto his shirt in a desperate attempt to have him not to be abandoned. Kura took hold of both his hands hands and looked him in the eye.

"There isn't much choice if you want to save your family, Ryou. The is what you have to do." Kura explained. Ryou looked up at him sadly, feeling the need to cry.

"My mother and sister did turn into pigs, this really is happening isn't it?" He asked quietly. Kura nodded and lightly touched his forehead with his hand.

"_When things quiet down, go out through the back gate"_ _That was Kura's voice wasn't it? And what are these images he's sending me? _The boy wondered. Even though Kura has these powers he apparently can't read the boy's mind right now and continues with the instruction.

"_Go all the way down stairs until you reach the boiler room. There you'll find Sugoroku the boiler man." _Kura explained removing his hand from my forehead.

"Sugoroku?" Ryou asked. Kura nodded.

"Tell him you want to work here, even if he turns you away you must _insist. _If you don't get a job Kaiba will turn you into an animal." Kura warned.

"Kaiba? Who is he…?" He asked.

"He's the man that owns the bathhouse with an iron fist. Sugoroku may try to turn you away or even trick you into leaving but just keep asking for a job. It'll be hard work but you'll be able to stay here. Then even Kaiba won't be able to hurt you." Kura said finishing his instructions. Ryou merely nodded not having much choice. All he said went against his instincts but even Ryou had to listen to him if he wanted to save his family. Both of them were snapped back to reality when more people shouted out Kura's name trying to find him.

"I have to go. But don't forget, Ryou, I'm your _friend."_ Kura said giving both of Ryou's hands a slight squeeze before standing up. A thought occurred to Ryou just now. How does he know my name? Ryou grabbed onto both of his hands wanting to know the answer.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" He asked looking up into his mahogany eyes. He looked back into Ryou's own eyes with a look that read _"I know but I don't know how to explain it"._

"I've known you since you were a little boy, Ryou. Be careful and whatever you do, don't make a sound." Kura said finally letting go of his hands and coming up to the slider door where everyone has been shouting his name.

"Calm down, I'm coming." Kura said approaching the door.

"Kura-sama! Kaiba wants to see you." One of the spirits said spotting him.

"I know. It's about my mission, isn't it?" Kura asked taking off his shoes and stepping inside. One of the spirits took his shoes for him and brought it into the room.

Ryou stayed there for awhile watching Kura leave with the other spirits. He shrunk back into the bushes once it finally sunk in that he was alone and will be doing the rest of the mission by myself. But all he had to do is go to Sugoroku for work so it shouldn't be too hard.

He crawled away from the bushes and went to the back gate where Kura told him to go. He opened the gate and saw that the stairs were attached to the building itself and went down for miles! _Just how far do I have to go just to go to the boiler room? _He slowly crossed the stairs. Cautiously he put one foot on one stair at a time. He wasn't sure how old the stairs were so He made sure to be extra careful when going down. Unfortunately that wasn't so easy. One of the steps broke down under his feet making him fall down most of the stairs. _I'm pretty grateful that I didn't fall under the stairs. _But it was a great shock of course. He fell down a few steps and once he gained his footing ran. He ran down the stairs like my life depended on it, which in a way it kind of did. He kept himself from screaming remembering Kura's warning about keeping quiet though the need to panic did rise within him causing an adrenaline rush making Ryou run faster than before. The boy was practically gliding down the stairs until he barely glimpsed the wall ahead of him and ran face first into it. _OUCH!_

Pulling away to catch his breath Ryou panted quietly until he heard a window creak open. Looking up he saw one of the spirits smoking a cigarette. Slowly he moved away from the wall and continued his way down the stairs much more _quietly_ this time. It took much longer this time but since Ryou made 90km dash down the stairs he got to the boiler room a lot more quickly at the same time. Once he made it all the way down the stairs Ryou came across a door with pipes next to it. _I'm assuming it's safe to say that this is the door to the boiler room. _Opening the door answered his question as there was a man working next to a furnace. He was a slightly elderly man with grey spiked hair, similar to the boy that came up to Kura at the bridge. The thing that horrified his was that he has four arms! No man has that many arms! _Except this isn't the human world, this is the spirit world. _He looked down to the floor saw that all of the coal in the room was moving to the furnace. _But wait… the coal isn't moving. Something is moving the coal. _Looking closely Ryou saw that little spirits were moving the coal across the room to the furnace throwing in the coal and scurrying away to the mouse holes on the other side of the room and then coming back with more coal. Sugoroku just seemed to be grinding herbs and scraping it into the furnace. _What an interesting business he has going on here._

Ryou considered going to talk to Sugoroku if it weren't for the fact that he doesn't deal well with the heat in the room and that seeing him with so many arms and these little spider things moving the coal around made his slightly terrified. (Yes, in case you're wondering he _is_ afraid of spiders.) After packing up his stuff Ryou discovering that there was a spiders nest under his bed, and it made poor Ryou _highly_ arachnophobic. He hid away from the man not wanting his phobia to overcome him. _If I just hid away from all the spider looking creatures and took a few deep breaths I think I can come up to him and ask for a job. That shouldn't be too hard._ He thought

_Inhale._

_Exhale._

_Inhale._

_Gasp!_

One of the steam pipes hissed and a puff of evaporated water floated towards Ryou's face._ Phew! For a second I thought someone spotted me._ Taking one last deep breath to calm his nerves he stepped out of his hiding spot and slowly walk up to Sugoroku.

"H-hello? Sir…? Are you Sugoroku?" Ryou knew stuttering is a sign of weakness but he didn't care. He was desperate!

"Hmm?" Sugoroku hummed stopping from his work and peering at the boy. Ryou stepped back not liking the way he was being looked at. He didn't mind that he didn't answer his question though. There was no one else in the room and Kura said that only Sugoroku worked here so it was an educated guess that this elderly man was Sugoroku.

"Uh, Kura told me to come here for a job. Can I please work here, sir?" Ryou asked almost pleadingly. He jumped slightly when he heard a dinging sound and four wooden token like objects fell through the hole in the sealing. Sugoroku looked away from the boy and straight at the wooden tokens peering at them almost in the same way he did to Ryou._ Is he blind…?_

"Four bath tokens at the same time? I'm getting too old for this..." Sugoroku complained. He picked up a small hammer and hit it against a turning wheel. "Come on, get a moving, you little dirt balls!" He called out. Ryou turned his head around to the mouse holes to see more of the sprites coming out. He didn't even realize that they were all hiding to begin with when he arrived to the boiler room. Maybe they disappeared when Ryou turned his back on them.

"Yes, I'm Sugoroku. I work in the boiler that heats the bath water up stairs- Move it, you runts!" He said calling out to the soot sprites again. The soot sprites made their slow approach to the furnace and Ryou looked back at Sugoroku desperately.

"Please, sir! I need to get a job here!" He yelled. Ryou didn't mean to raise his voice, it's just so loud as it is in the room and Ryou really needed to get a job or else this Kaiba person will turn him into an animal and he won't save his family.

"You _don't_ want to work here, kid. Plus I don't need any help. This place is so full of so much soot that all I have to do is cast a spell on them and their all the workers I need." Sugoroku said. All the soot sprites now have begun to move around Ryou's feet. He stepped aside for them so they could get through to the furnace but then more soot sprites came up to his feet making screeching sounds. Ryou took that as a sign that they wanted him out of the way.

"Oh, sorry. Let me just move over… here…" Ryou murmured moving his foot over the increasing pile of coal and soot sprites. He just barely moved over the pile and walked over to stand next to a mouse hole so that way he wouldn't be in the way. Sugoroku moved his hand over to the boy and made a waving gesture.

"Move, boy." He said. Ryou stepped away from the wall where it turns out to be a bunch of drawers filled with more herbs. He pulls out a handful and proceeds to grind them while Ryou just sat there staring at the ground. _What can I do if he won't let me work for him?_ Ryou thought to himself.

He focused his eyes on the moving soot sprites, and saw one of them crawling out holding a piece of coal over its head until the coal crushed him. Ryou blinked in surprise. _Did he just die?_ Wanting to know his answer he lifted the coal off the crushed soot sprite. There was a black spot where the soot sprite died but it wasn't dead, because it regenerated back into its original form and scurried back into the mouse hole. Still holding the surprisingly _heavy_ coal Ryou turned to Sugoroku.

"Sugoroku-san, what do I do with this?" Ryou asked trying to hold up the heavy object. _When I get back home I'm going to exercise more. _Ryou promised himself.

"Finish what you started, human." Sugoroku said barely turning his head around to look at him. _What, you mean I finally get to do something here and not have to worry about being turned into a pig by Kaiba? Yes!_ A smile formed on the boy's face as he made his way to the furnace. The soot sprites moved away from him making a small opened path for the boy.

Making his way to the furnace Ryou almost took a step back. The heat from the furnace was _incredible!_ Fire danced out of the open mouth making Ryou want to close his eyes and look away not wanting to get burned. But he had to get the coal in there as well. He knew it wasn't going to be easy but he had to get the job done. Making a few quick steps to the furnace and throwing the coal into the fire Ryou made a quick escape to hide behind Sugoroku's "working table". The heat was so bad he felt his own sweat pouring from his forehead down his cheeks._ That was scary but I bet it beats being caught by Kaiba._ He thought to himself panting heavily from having to exert his body and being so close to the hot flames.

_Squish!_

Looking down and he saw that another soot sprite got crushed by coal. And one by one all of them dropped coal onto their heads and huddled up to Ryou with the coal as if asking him to do the work for them. _Is this for real? I just barely survived being burned to death and they want me to do their work? _Ryou thought incredulously.

_Thunk, thunk, thunk!_

Ryou looked up and to see Sugoroku hammering the small wooden mallet against his work table. "Hey, you runts! You wanna turn back into soot?" He yelled at the sprites, and aimed his mallet towards Ryou, "And you, stay out of this. You can't just take someone else's job. If they don't work, the spell wears off and they turn back into soot. There's no work for you here, okay? Try somewhere else." He ranted. _B-but I need this job. It's my only way to stay away from Kaiba… _The soot sprites stood back, glaring at Sugoroku and crawling towards Ryou with the coal closer to him making the pile seem bigger.

"You dirt balls got a problem? Get back to work!" Sugoroku shouted.

"Chow time! What going on? Are the twerps fighting again?" A man said coming out through another door in the boiler room. _How many doors are there in this one room?_ Ryou watched carefully as the white haired, dark skinned older male came up to Sugoroku.

"Where's your other bowl from yesterday, old man? Man, I keep telling you to leave it out, the least you can do is do me this one favor while I give you your damn food." He asked putting down his basket and holding out his hand. Sugoroku handed him his empty food bowl and held out his hands for his food smiling that he finally got a dinner break.

"Meal time! Take a break." Sugoroku called out to the soot sprites. The sprites jump out from underneath the coal and went straight to the white haired male for their food. The older male kneeled over the sprites and tossed in a handful of sprinkles to feed the sprites. The other male glanced over at Ryou and shot a glare at him. Ryou flinched.

"You're the human everyone's looking for! You're in trouble, kid." He said, a sick grin forming on his face. Already Ryou knew that this man hated him._ Are all humans treated this poorly by the spirits?_

"He's my grandson." Sugoroku said with a mouthful of food in his mouth. Ryou and the other man looked over to Sugoroku both wondering what he was getting at.

"Grandson?" The male asked incredulously. It's like he finds it hard to believe that even this man who turned Ryou earlier form the job offer could even bother to help him.

"He says he wants to work here, but I got all the help I need. Will you take him to see Kaiba-sama? He may not look it but he's a tough little boy and will fit right in." Sugoroku said still munching on his dinner. The other man tossed in the sprinkles over the soot sprites angrily.

"Never! Are you telling me to risk my life for a pathetic human? Are you out of your mind?!" He asked lowering his gaze so that he's glaring at Sugoroku through his bangs. Ryou blinked having just noticed the scar under his right eye._ What happened to him…?_

"What if I give you this roasted sardine? Hmm? It's a good one." Sugoroku asked handing a skewered sardine over to the other male waving it in front of his face. Sugoroku turned to Ryou while waving the fish in the other man's face. "If you want a job, you have to make a deal with Kaiba. He's the boss here."

The white haired male looked at the fish for a moment as if thinking _"Don't tell me I'm being baited into this for food", _before swiping the fish out of Sugoroku's hand. "Fine! Give me that damn fish." He said stuffing the fish into the pocket of his kimono. "Come on, kid. Follow me." He said dumping the rest of the sprinkles over the soot sprites and turning for the door. Ryou pulled his feet out of the coal pile and ran towards the other male.

"Can't you even manage a 'yes, sir' or a 'thank you'?" He asked picking up the rest of the empty food dishes and putting them in the basket. Ryou blinked in surprise.

"Oh, sorry. Thank you, sir." Ryou said quickly. He rolled his eyes at the smaller boy and turned around muttering a "_weakling"_ at him under his breath. Ryou bent over to untie his shoes to hear him yell out to the boy again.

"Hey! You don't need your filthy shoes or socks just leave them there." He said.

"Yes, sir." Ryou said putting his shoes back down on the floor. The soot sprites moved up to them and surround Ryou's shoes. He was about to ask what they were going to do with his shoes when the older male barked at Ryou to hurry up. He quickly ran over to the other door he just exited through before he blocked his way and leaned over the boy.

"Aren't you going to thank Sugoroku? He's really doing you a huge favor, you know." He said almost glaring at Ryou. His face flushed in embarrasement. _Of course! How could I be so rude?! But then again isn't this man being rude as well? _Nonetheless Ryou still owes the man his thanks for doing this. Ryou quickly turned around and bowed down thanking him.

"Good luck." Sugoroku said giving Ryou a thumbs up. Ryou turned around and finally exited the boiler room closing the door behind him and followed the apparently taller male to an elevator.

"We have to go all the way to the top floor. That's where Kaiba lives." He said. While they were crossing through he stopped to look around and gestured to the boy that the coast was clear. Ryou continued his way and stopped to see all the machines in the room they were in. It looked like they really were at the bottom floor as there wasn't much there other than a few elevators.

"Hey, catch up!" Ryou jumped in surprise and ran up to the older male and finally got into the elevator. The man pressed a button moving them up to the next floor. Ryou leaned against the elevator while the man kept his back to him. He didn't speak to Ryou._ I wonder what his problem is. I know I'm a human but could he try to be a little nice to me? _They stopped at a floor but unfortunately it wasn't the top floor. According to the man there are a number of elevators designed to go to certain floors. When asked why the elevators wouldn't go to _all_ of the floors he just scoffed with a _"What you think we have the money to have a few elevators going to every single floor in this building?" _They both hurried out to another empty elevator not wanting to get caught and the man pressed the button to the elevator taking them both up to another floor.

"We're halfway there. Just stay close." He said not looking at Ryou. _At least he's warning me about this kind of thing. That's a start._ Ryou smiled finally getting a little bit of respect from the strange male. They finally stopped at the farthest floor and Ryou hid further behind him when a spirit stood at the elevator. He looked like a normal person clad in a white kimono. He had long brown hair and dark skin like Ryou's current acquaintance. Ryou felt the white haired male stiffen.

"Mahado the famous most powerful wizard in the land. To what do I owe this honor?" He said.

"I'm going to the tenth floor." Mahado said pointing upwards with his index finger.

"Sorry, sir. This is as far as the elevator goes. You're gonna have to try another one." He said stepping out of the elevator and into the hallway. Ryou quickly followed behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see Mahado following them.

"He's following us…" Ryou whispered, suddenly afraid of Mahado. He could tell the other workers about Ryou and everything would be ruined. Plus he's the most powerful wizard. He could kill them both right now.

"Just don't look at him and keep moving." The taller male ordered quickening his pace to the elevator. At the elevator he pressed the button next to the door. Mahado caught up to them and stood next them. The white haired male stood close to Ryou almost shielding him from Mahado. Mahado glanced at Ryou and he flinched instinctively and looked away. The elevator finally opened and more spirits stepped out.

"Step out to the right, gentlemen." A blond man said. Ryou flinched. _Another worker. He could see me right now and go straight to Kaiba._ The taller man stepped in front of him blocking his view from the spirit.

"Your rooms are right this way." The blond man said following the spirits out. Ryou and Mahado quickly stepped into the elevator and before the older male could step in the blond worker called out his name

"Hey, Touzoku?" He said stepping up to the elevator._ So his name is Touzoku?_

"What?" He said stepping in front of the elevator and at the same time Mahado stood in front of Ryou blocking his view from the other worker.

"What's that smell, Touzoku?" He asked. He sniffed the air a little and stood up straight in shock. "Wait a minute, you smell like a human." The blond said narrowing his eyes in suspicion at Touzoku.

"No that's just the new cologne I'm trying out. You got a problem with it?" Touzoku asked glaring back at the blonde.

"Nice try. I may not look it but I'm smarter than I look, scarface!" He barked.

"Oh, really? I find that hard to believe, Jounochi." Touzoku said crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at the blond.

"I'm serious, though. I smell a human here. Where's it coming from? Wait, is it that human everyone's talking about?" Jounochi asked. Moving closer to the elevator. Touzoku poked him in the chest and pushed him away from the elevator.

"Unlikely, Jounochi." He said pulling out the roasted sardine Sugoroku bribed him with and held it in front of Jounochi's face. "Is this what you smell?" He asked. The suspicious look on Jounochi's face changed to that of hunger and he immediately reached out for the fish.

"Give it to me!" He said trying to swipe the fish from Touzoku's hands.

"No way, mutt. I'm saving every last bite for myself." Touzoku said mockingly.

"Oh, come on! I don't want any more people calling me 'mutt'! I deal with that enough from Kaiba! Now give me that fish!" Jouochi said making another grab for the fish but Touzoku held it above his head, well out of reach.

"If you wanna go up, just pull on the lever on the left." Touzoku said over his shoulder. Mahado leaned over and pulled down on the said lever. The last thing Ryou saw before the door closed was Akefia stuffing the roasted sardine into his mouth.

****_**Finally, finished writing this. I have to say that I had fun, but it was kind of tedious writing it at the same time. The story is a bit different to the movie but I hope that won't bother you people much. Like I said it was kinda fun writing Touzoku in this and it was fun writing "Grandpa" as kind of grouchy. I should have changed the soot balls into kuribohs though. Then THAT would have been fun to read, but oh well! Review please**_


	4. Who Do You Trust?

_**Note: A word of warning. This might be the last chapter for awhile. Why? Because school is starting tomorrow so I'd have less time to update. Sorry. But I'll talk to Echo and see if I can ever come over to see if I can update there. But on the bright side, the time has come! You will now see who will play as the witch Yubaba and the big baby! and theres a few other surprises in store so in further chapters you can look forward to that!**_

Ryou stood next to Mahado in the same elevator going up to the top floor. Ryou hid his face from Mahado shyly looking down at the floor. Ryou was actually quite afraid of the magician and wasn't sure of what he would do if Ryou were to somehow insult him. Ryou just stood there quietly waiting for the elevator to stop. Needless to say that Ryou was surprised when Mahado spoke first to the boy.

"You know it's not safe here." The man said. Ryou quietly nodded without saying anything.

"I don't know how you managed to cross into our world, but a word of warning; be careful of Kaiba and Kura." Mahado spoke again in a heavy tone. Ryou looked up this time at Mahado. _Why should I be careful of Kura? He's helped me out a lot so far. Does he have a bad reputation here?_ Seeming to read his expression Mahado spoke once more.

"If you follow my advice then you may learn how to survive in this world." Mahado said looking down at the frail boy.

"Is this world that dangerous…?" Ryou said quietly. It was like his own fear was forcing him to be quiet. Mahado shrugged slightly.

"It's not that it's dangerous, it's just that this world isn't made for humans, that's all." The elevator stopped. Ryou stepped out to take a peek into the hallway. The hall lead to no where but to a giant golden door to the right.

"This is the top floor." Ryou said mostly to himself. He stepped out of the elevator and bowed politely before Mahado. He returned the gesture.

"Before we part ways, allow me to give you one more warning. Kaiba despises humans more so than he does other spirits. If you plan on working here, then be prepared on being better than your best. Because if you don't he'll curse you, and you'll never be able to return home ever again." And like that the elevator doors closed and that was the last he saw of Mahado. He turned out to not be so bad for Ryou's case. But the warnings didn't help his nerves much either. Ryou turned for the golden doors and knocked on the handle over the dragon head softly. He was afraid of upsetting Kaiba if he knocked on the handle loudly.

"What is that you want?" A male voice spoke through the dragon head on the door. Ryou jumped for possibly the millionth time tonight. The eyes on the dragon narrowed at Ryou before the voice spoke again. "You're the most pathetic looking human I've seen so far." The voice insulted before the doors swung open. _This would be fun if it was a haunted house._ Ryou thought feebly peering through the doors. Halloween was one of Ryou's favorite holidays. One thing that would always surprise his friends that despite his personality he actually has a morbid interest in the occult. Ryou's not sure where he got it from as both his parents aren't that fond in stuff like vampires or zombies.

"Well…? Come in!" The voice spoke again and this time Ryou felt his body being pulled down hallway after hallway till a pair of doors opened up again and Ryou was sent flying into what looked like an office. Ryou fell on his face on the carpet and it took him a moment to recover and get up to look around the room. While Ryou was looking around the room a couple of small white dragons flew in squawking and flying at him, scaring the boy further than necessary. The dragon's looked like baby's but they looked dangerous at the same time. (I mean, come on. Those things have talons and teeth!)

"Quiet down. You're going to wake my brother." The voice spoke again. The dragon's finally flew away from Ryou and perched themselves near the desk where a man in a blue suit sat smoking a cigarette. He tapped his cigarette against an ash tray, before returning to some paper work. He wasn't even looking at Ryou. He was just pretending that the boy wasn't even in the same room while he looked occupied with his paper work.

"Um… Kaiba-san? I was wondering if you could give me a job here?" Ryou asked quietly. Kaiba looked up at the boy and pinched his fingers together and moved them across the air in a "be quiet" gesture. Unfortunately, Ryou felt his lips get sealed shut making it hard for him to talk. Kaiba smirked as the boy struggled to open his mouth again.

"Like I could give a human a job here. Human's are just pathetic, overly-dependent weaklings and you're clearly no exception. It's a bathhouse where spirits can come to replenish themselves. And all humans do is destroy and steal everything they see, just like your mother and sister, who devoured all the spirit food like _swine_. Personally, I think turning them into pigs wasn't a suitable enough punishment but then again I'm not in charge of punishing people for eating food. I only punish those that trespass into _my_ bathhouse." Kaiba said puffing into his cigarette again and blowing out the smoke through his mouth. "You for example can be punished under my rule. But there's just one thing left on my mind. Clearly you didn't make it here all by yourself. So, little boy, who helped you?" Kaiba asked with a sneer. He pinched his fingers together again and made the same gesture once more but this time Ryou's lips were freed from the spell and he could finally speak again. But the words that came out of his mouth were anything but _"So-so helped me out"._

"Please, Kaiba-san! Can't you give me a job here?" Ryou begged. Kaiba glared at the boy.

"Don't start that nonsense again! You'll die before working here!" Kaiba shouted at the boy. It wasn't a warning either; It was a _threat. _But Ryou wasn't about to back down easily.

"Please, just give me a job!" Ryou begged one more time. Ryou must've blinked because, before Kaiba was sitting at his desk with a cigarette in his hand and the next he was standing in front of Ryou and had his hand on the boy's throat and holding him well above the ground.

"Allow me to repeat myself just one more time in case you're hard of hearing. You're a helpless, useless, pathetic weakling and this is clearly no place for humans. You'd just disgrace the building with your presence and give me a bad name! This is a high-class place I'm running here, and I already have all the desperate idiots I need to keep this place going." Kaiba said tightening his grip on Ryou's throat just a little. The boy gasped and grabbed at Kaiba's hands trying to pull them away from his throat. Kaiba hummed a little in thought before chuckling darkly.

"Or I could grant your wish and give you the hardest job there is and make you work till your very last breath..." Kaiba hissed as if the thought of torturing the boy with work would give him great pleasure.

_Crash!_

Kaiba dropped Ryou and turned around to the door that was by his desk. "Mokuba, what is it?" He asked walking up to the door. Ryou was rubbing at his sore throat and coughing at the same time trying to get air into his lungs again.

"Sorry, Nii-sama! I slipped and broke my-" The boy said leaving his room and walking into the office. He stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Ryou still rubbing his neck. "What's a human doing here?" Mokuba asked completely forgetting what he was just saying. Kaiba shot a glare at Ryou before flash-stepping towards his little brother.

"Don't worry about that, just go back to bed. I'll be there in a few minutes okay?" Kaiba said. The boy nodded and turned around to go back to his room but not before exchanging one more glance at Ryou. Ryou looked back at the boy for the first time and saw that he was wearing a red night gown for a pajama. Mokuba closed the door to his room and Kaiba turned abruptly back at Ryou.

"You're still here? Get out." Kaiba ordered pointing at the door. Ryou shook his head and stood up finally.

"I won't leave until you hire me." Ryou spoke with strong determination in his voice. Kaiba groaned before flicking his hand and a sheet of paper and pen floated towards the boy.

"Fine. Sign the damn thing and get out." He said making his way to his desk. Ryou looked at the paper and pen before looking back at Kaiba.

"Does this mean I have the job now?" Ryou asked.

"Just sign it." Kaiba said lighting up another cigarette and murmuring about him being too nice for his own good. Ryou signed the paper on the floor before Kaiba took it away from him making the paper float away just when Ryou finished writing the last character to his name.

"So your name is 'Ryou Touzoku', huh? That's an interesting name." Kaiba said holding his hand over the paper. The character's to Ryou's name floated up and Kaiba captured it in his hands. "And it belongs to me now. For now on your name shall be Yozu. Got it?" Kaiba asked. Ryou faltered for a moment. _Since when did your manager take your name and change it?_ Ryou thought.

"Answer me, Yozu!" Kaiba ordered.

"Uh, yes sir!" Ryou said.

"You called for me?" Ryou turned around when another voice spoke up in the room. He didn't expect to see Kura standing there in the same room with him. _What's he doing here?_

"This boy signed a contract. Hurry up and give him a job, got it, Kura?" Kaiba ordered. Kura had no problem with replying and giving in to Kaiba's demands. _It's strange… Kura seemed like the type of guy to object to Kaiba orders._

"Yes. What's your name, boy?" Kura asked to Ryou tilting his head to the side to the other boy.

"Huh? It's Ry… Oh, uh… It's Yozu." Ryou replied. He had almost forgotten that Kaiba had changed his name to Yozu for some reason. _Is it something that Kaiba does to all of his new employees?_

"Alright, Yozu. Follow me." Kura said leaving Kaiba's office with the renamed Ryou- Yozu- following behind him. Kura waited patiently at the elevator for Ryou to hurry up. Ryou was slowing down because he was too busy trying to wrap his mind around the situation he brought himself in. _Kaiba changed my name to Yozu… Kura is somehow connected to Kaiba… And Kura knows me… But I don't even know Kura… I can't even remember seeing him at any time in my life! Then again he is a spirit. It's probably much harder for me to remember being in contact with a spirit when I'm a human._

"Yozu, hurry up!" Kura called out, making the boy jump from his thoughts. Ryou- Yozu- ran the rest of the distance from the hallway to the elevator and stood next to Kura. For some reason being with Kura made the room seem much smaller than before, even if Mahado, and Touzoku were just in here and were considerably taller and more muscular than Kura. Not that Yozu didn't think Kura wasn't handsome or… wait did he just think Kura was handsome? The boy's face heated up in embarrassment at the thought for even considering another male handsome.

"What's you're problem now?" Kura asked slightly annoyed. Yozu jumped again. _Was Kura watching me get flustered?_

"Oh! Uh… I-it's nothing… Hey can I ask you something?" Yozu asked looking straight up at Kura.

"No." Kura stated making the smaller boy deadpan. "And from now on you must address me as Kura-sama, got it?" Who was this boy?! This isn't the Kura, that Ryou knew just an hour ago, that saved him from disappearing, led him to the bathhouse, and held his hand the entire time. This was a different Kura. This one was much less patient, and aggressive. He even acted like he never knew Ryou. He was even addressing him as Yozu. _Well I guess I should get used to being called Yozu for now on… Who knows how long I could be stuck here for…_

"Yes, sir."

"What?! Hire him?! Are you kidding?" Yami asked. As it turned out that other than Kaiba and possibly Kura there was a number of spirits that managed the bathhouse much to Yozu's surprise.

"I most certainly am not, Yami. Kaiba-sama has just hired him and now he is going to work here, understand?" Kura argued in the most stern tone that Yozu had heard from him. For a moment Kura sounded like he meant business.

"Who cares what Kaiba thinks?! We ain't hiring any stupid human here!" Jounochi exclaimed. Kura turned a cold gaze on the blond.

"He's already under contract." Kura announced. Everyone in the room exchanged surprised glances to each other and had begun whispering and gossiping. Yozu had heard most of them say something like "Is Kaiba-sama insane?", or "A weakling like _him_ is working here?!", and"Just what I need… A human bunking the same room with us!" Ryou stayed quiet. He was used to being treated this way. At school it was pretty much the same thing. They started talking about you and then they began keeping a distance from you, convincing everyone to stay away from you. Then when you're all alone with no friends they began to pick on you. Ryou had to transfer a few times because of this. Amane would always complain about him having to "run away" from the problem instead of standing up and fighting it.

"We're not taking him in our department." A spirit spoke from behind him.

"He'll stink up the whole place!" Another said.

"Three days of eating our food and his stench will go away. And if he doesn't work hard, cook him, eat him, torture him, do whatever you want with him." Kura said. The words that Kura spoke felt like hot knives into his insides. It hurt. Just when Yozu was beginning to think Kura was okay, he does this to him.

"Now get back to work! All of you! Where is Touzoku?" Kura asked looking around the room for the said male.

"What?! Don't you dump that brat on me!" Touzoku exclaimed. Yozu turned and saw that Touzoku was leaning against a post in the room. Yozu hadn't even noticed him.

"You did _say_ that you wanted an assistant, right?" Kura sneered. Yami and Jounochi also saw this amusing as they exchanged grins to each other.

"That's perfect!" Jounochi grinned.

"Give the boy to Touzoku." Yami answered agreeing with his friend. Touzoku meanwhile was complaining about his new partnership with the boy.

"Yozu, get going!" Kura barked the order almost to similar to the way Kaiba was barking orders to him. Ryou was beginning to question himself whether or not he could trust Kura or not. Ryou hurriedly ran over to Touzoku's side like before, while the older male barked out a final complaint.

"Why are all of you picking on me? You're gonna pay for this, Kura! You hear me?" Touzoku said before turning his back on Kura and the other's. Yozu heard one of them- probably Jounochi- call out sarcastically to Akefia to "sleep well", making the older male groan.

Touzoku and Yozu made their way through some halls and stairs 'till they made it to the men's sleeping department. Suddenly Touzoku turned around to Yozu surprising the younger boy. "I can't believe you pulled it off! You're such a wuss, I was really worried about you." Touzoku said ruffling Ryou's hair. _Now I'm really confused_! Ryou thought as he fixed his hair when Touzoku finished playing with it. "Now you have to watch your back when you here, and if you have anything just ask me, okay?" He said with a slight curving of the lips forming a casual smile on the older males face. Somehow the smile made Touzoku's scar seem longer.

"O-okay…" Ryou mumbled. He was so confused, and scared it was hurting him in an almost physical sense. All the stress he's had to deal with today with losing his family, wondering if Kura was friend or foe, Kaiba constantly watching him, and Touzoku going from foe to friend. It was no surprise that the stress wasn't doing to well for Ryou as his stomach began to form an uncomfortable churn making Ryou feel sick.

"Woah, are you okay, Yozu? You don't look so good." Touzoku said putting a hand on his shoulder. Ryou nearly convulsed at the touch. He didn't need this. He didn't want this. He just wanted to be home!

"I don't _feel_ so good…" Ryou murmured. Touzoku gently lead Yozu to where the men sleep in the bathhouse. For some reason the workers don't have a place of their own, so they live at their own job. It didn't take long for Touzoku to bring Yozu to the sleeping quarters.

"Well this is where the guys sleep," Touzoku said in the middle of the room. The "bed room" was nothing but an empty room with nothing in it besides a few people already asleep. Ryou heard that ages ago people normally slept on the floor with a thin mattress and a blanket in their homes. Ryou was one of many people today that actually sleeps in a bed that stands about a meter off the ground.

"Here's your futon, Yozu" Touzoku said kicking over the folded up blanket and mattress over to him. It looked like a sleeping bag to him. "And here's you're uniform. You have to wash them yourself." Touzoku said giving Ryou a change of pants. He held up a shirt and looked it over at Ryou. "Too big" he said tossing the shirt away and digging in the drawer for another one.

"Touzoku… Do you know Kura?" Ryou asked. He just needed to know the connection between Kura and Kaiba, and Touzoku. It was just so confusing.

"What about him?" Touzoku groaned, tossing away another shirt and digging in for another one.

"Well, he just seems so…"

"Arrogant? Rude? The most smug little brat you've ever seen?" Touzoku asked looking over another shirt before tossing it away. "He's Kaiba's lap dog. Don't trust a thing he says. The brat has a silver tongue, and a deceiving mind. He gets just about anyone wrapped around his finger, so just stay away from him got it?" Touzoku asked tossing away at least two more shirts.

Ryou looked down at the ground and curled up into a ball there. _Remember, Ryou. I'm your friend. I've known you since you were a little boy._ That's what he had said didn't he?_ Address me as Kura-sama._ He also said that… _The boy has a silver tongue and a deceiving mind. Stay away from him_. But how could Ryou stay away from the person that helped him out so much before? Sure he seems different now but there has to be a reason for it. Kura has to have some reason from becoming the kind, caring Kura to this… _Arrogant? Rude? _Well… Maybe he has a reason for it.

Ryou felt his cheeks get wet. He cried so much tonight. He cried when his family were turned into pigs, he cried when Kura had to leave him, he wanted to cry a number of times after that but now he had no control over his tears. They just came out like a trickling spring, and the water level was rising. He didn't even hear that his voice was making these pitiful moans and hiccups. He didn't even feel Touzoku's large hand on his back or hear his voice. He didn't even hear the sleeping person next to him wake up and complain about his crying. Ryou was lost in his own world of sorrow, just like how his mother and sister were lost in their own world of food hours ago.

It didn't take long for Ryou to succumb to his exhaustion and stress and just fall asleep while curled up in a sitting position. He was so tired. It was just unusual that Ryou dreamed that night. Ryou _never_ dreams unless he's sleeping in his own bed. It was a strange story to tell his friends whenever he slept at their house. They'd always tell stories of their own dreams and look at Ryou expecting a story from him, but Ryou had none to tell them. It was either that he never dreamed outside his house or that he did and that he couldn't remember them. But tonight for whatever reason he had a dream, or a memory of a dream.

He was at the park and it was time to go home. He didn't live very far from the park. Him and his younger sister Amane would go to the park and play all the time. Amane went to a friends house and Ryou was alone, and it was getting dark. Some shady looking adults were beginning to come and visit the park. The looks they were giving him were making Ryou feel uncomfortable and frightened. Ryou sat alone at the sand box with a small mound of sand in front of his lap. One of the adults made his move towards him. Ryou wanted to move away but the sand was pretty much pinning him into the sand box. Ryou was so scared.

"Hey, kid. Where's your mommy and daddy?" He asked. Ryou hated the scent on his breath. It smelt too much like alcohol and cigarettes. He didn't answer.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" The man asked moving a hand towards Ryou. The boy was slowly inching away from the man when another boy quickly stepped forward and grabbed the man's hand.

"Get away from my brother." The boy growled easily frightening the intoxicated man. No one had seen him show up. He just appeared out of no where. The man backed away from the boy and ran off screaming about a ghost.

"Excuse me? I'm not your brother." Ryou said pulling his legs away from the sand mound and standing up behind the taller boy. At best the boy could probably be eleven or even thirteen. Ryou wasn't sure. He hadn't even gotten a look of his face yet.

The older boy must've not heard him; Ryou was known for speaking quietly. He gently took the boy's hand in his to get his attention. "Thank you-" Ryou started, but the older boy had grabbed his hand and made a dash out of the park. The boy was running so fast it almost felt like they were flying. Maybe they really were flying, because Ryou didn't feel the ground underneath him as the older boy took off.

"Where are you taking me?" Ryou yelled at the boy. He didn't mean to shout but he was sure that if he spoke in his usual tone the older boy wouldn't hear him. But the older boy didn't answer him. He probably didn't hear him again. All of a sudden they reached his house. The boy had disappeared. Ryou was left at his front door totally confused. _Was he flying a second ago? Did the boy just change shape? How did he know where I lived? Where'd he go?_ Ryou had so many questions and no answers to them.

**_A fruit for thought that Ryou was renamed "Yozu" for the_ R**yo_**u in his name and the**_** To**z**ouk**u_** that many people call Thief King Bakura. And yes Kaiba is Yubaba. It suits him, right? XD And I don't know what's about me, when I add memory scenes into my stories but I do it a lot. I think it's interesting in a way XD**_


End file.
